How the Irish celebrate Christmas has changed since the financial collapse

Just 86 percent of Irish families will sit down to a turkey and ham dinner on Christmas Day
Photo by: Telegraph

Spending is Ireland, around Christmas is down by 25 percent since 2006, according to a survey carried out by House and Home magazine.

The survey’s “topline statistics” also show that only 86 percent of Irish will eat the traditional Irish Christmas meal of turkey and ham and only 38 percent of Irish will attend religious ceremonies during the Christmas period. This is the first time since 2006 that the magazine has polled their Irish readers.

Their results show that the Irish are taking a less traditional approach to the Christmas season with just 56 percent spend the 25th in their homes and just 86 percent expect to eat this most traditional of festive foodstuffs.

What else has changed since the recession hit? Unsurprisingly, the Irish are spending way less on décor at Christmas time. In 2006, 30 percent of us spent between €100 and €199 on decorations alone. Contrast that with 2013 when 65 percent say that figure will be €99 or under. Forty percent of those polled said this is 25 percent less than in previous years.

The survey also reveals that only 70 percent of Irish people plan to say they’ll attend a festive mass this year. For 38% of them, this is the only time of year they attend religious ceremonies.

Other issues raise their heads over the festive period too. How do those separated with children cope? Twelve percent said they took turns having their children while 4.5 percent said their ex-partner had them every year while a surprising 83.5 percent said there is no established pattern.